


Youth

by Catheeso



Series: my past and your future [9]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: :), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beta Read, Betrayal, Clay | Dream Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Friendship, Gen, Ghosts, If You Squint - Freeform, Morally Ambiguous Character, Not Canon Compliant, Possession, Ranboo-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit Friendship, beta read by lovely friend, she liked this chapter, the girls are fighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 00:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30013524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catheeso/pseuds/Catheeso
Summary: Friendships are discussed.“I want you to be happy.”
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: my past and your future [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109177
Comments: 3
Kudos: 112





	Youth

“Well,” Techno mused, sitting down on one of the kitchen chairs and crossing his arms, “that certainly is a situation.”

“I still don’t believe you,” Tommy proclaimed, looking at Dream like he was about to turn around and stab someone. To be fair, _he_ was kind of an ass to Tommy, but Ranboo was never around during the exile so Dream was never around during the exile. He had no idea what _he_ did to Tommy. He had no idea Tommy was even with Techno and Phil.

“What do we do now?” Ranboo asked nervously. “I can’t stay in L’Manberg anymore.”

“You can just stay with us, Ranboo,” Phil said soothingly, patting the enderman hybrid on his shoulder. Ranboo smiled back. “And I guess that depends on how Dream feels.”

When all eyes turned to him, Dream shrugged, “I don’t know. I didn’t even know if the discount exorcism would work, I didn’t think that far ahead. I do know that I want my body back, though.”

“There’s also the problem of the _evil_ Dream running around, boys,” Tommy pointed out. “Do we just confront him?”

“I have the feeling people won’t believe us if we go out and say it,” Phil replied. “The four of us aren’t well-liked even with, um...” Phil turned to Dream. “What should we call you? Ghost Dream? Spirit Dream?”

“I’m the real Dream, just call me Dream,” Dream scowled.

“Okay Ghream,” Tommy said. Dream’s scowl deepened but he held his tongue. He was trying to get them to work with him, he wanted them to help him. As much as he hated to admit it, he did need their help. He might’ve been corporeal, but he couldn’t do much. Not since he was still attached to Ranboo.

“Tommy, stop pissing off the ghost,” Techno drawled. “But Phil is right. Dream - the other Dream - has visited before and will visit again.”

“Just play dumb,” suggested Dream. “I can just go out of view, he doesn’t know I’m able to be seen, yet. If he asks about Ranboo you can say that you all rescued him when you heard about his unfortunate situation.”

“So we just don’t tell people that the man running around ruining everybody’s lives is a fucking demon?” Tommy exclaimed, slamming his hands on the table. “I think people deserve to know!”

“Calm yourself, I’m being realistic. No one would believe us or care. Trust me, I know. I’ve watched my friends turn against someone who isn’t even me,” Dream rolled his eyes.

“Maybe that says something about you, Dream,” Tommy said.

Dream’s hands clenched into fists as he seethed in anger, trying desperately to resist the urge to throttle the child. Phil took initiative and stepped in between them. A hush fell over the room as Techno and Ranboo watched the now-silent argument.

“Cool off, both of you,” Techno cut in. “Dream, is there anyone you want to tell or trust enough to tell?”

His first instinct is George and Sapnap, obviously, but he hesitated for a moment. The last he had seen both of them was when they were yelling at _him_. Last he’d seen, they were pretty pissed. Ranboo didn’t interact with them at all, he’s never talked to them, so Dream hadn’t seen his best friends in forever.

“Sapnap,” he said decisively. “George and Sapnap. They- they deserve to know.”

“If Dream’s telling his friends, can I tell Tubbo?” Tommy asked.

“Tubbo exiled you, Tommy,” Phil frowned.

Dream drifted closer, a faint sense of guilt coiling in his stomach. It was only faint, though. “Tubbo only exiled Tommy because of my counterpart. Tubbo shouldn’t be blamed, I would’ve done the same if I was in his position.” Not that Dream had ever been in that position since he was the strongest on the server.

“Only if you trust Tubbo, Tommy,” Techno said slowly. “But you know how I feel about it.”

“With Dream gone, or, er, the better Dream back in control, L’Manberg should change for the better,” Tommy responded. “No more executions or tyranny.”

Techno looked away and out the window, not saying anything else. Tommy nodded to himself and pulled out his communicator to presumably message Tubbo. The conversation was over.

Dream tapped Ranboo on the shoulder and the kid jumped before blinking and realizing what Dream was secretly asking for. Quickly, he pulled out his own communicator and opened a whisper to Sapnap.

_Ranboo:_ Can I talk to you? Privately? It’s really important

_Sapnap:_ why

_Ranboo:_ Trust me, it’s about Dream

The next text came much, much faster.

_Sapnap:_ where do you want to meet

Ranboo glanced at Dream who shrugged. It didn’t matter where, just that it happened soon.

_Ranboo:_ Preferably outside of the SMP and L’Manberg. Can you make it to Technoblade’s house?

_Sapnap:_ I can

Dream reached out and plucked the communicator from Ranboo’s hands, shooting a quick message.

_Ranboo:_ bring George

_Sapnap:_ ok?

“Now, we wait,” Dream announced, handing the communicator back to a confused Ranboo. Tommy had already shot out of his seat and rushed out the door, ignoring Phil’s calls to be safe and wear armour just in case.

Ranboo glanced down at the message Dream had sent but said nothing, choosing instead to sit down at the table in the chair where Tommy had sat, fingers drumming against the table. Phil moved upstairs to do something else and Techno left for one of the farms outside, possibly the potato farm closest to the house.

It didn’t take long for Ranboo’s communicator to buzz again and for the enderman hybrid to jump up. He looked at the message and started walking out, so the message was probably from Sapnap. Dream cloaked himself and was dragged along.

Sure enough, Sapnap and George stood in the snow in the middle of the dense spruce forest, in full netherite armour.

“Sapnap?” Ranboo asked, stepping forward and out of the bushes carefully. Both of them blinked in surprise before their gazes hardened, putting up a wall. Dream’s heart ached. What had happened to his friends?

“Ranboo,” Sapnap greeted stiffly, “what did you want to talk about?”

“It’s- it’s about Dream-“

“What about Dream?” George snapped, hurt clear in his voice. “What do you want? We aren’t friends with Dream anymore, in case you haven’t heard.”

“Well, you aren’t friends with the other Dream,” Ranboo said cryptically. Dream resisted the urge to facepalm. Really, Ranboo, that was how you break it to them?

“What’s the supposed to mean?” Sapnap asked.

“The Dream you’ve been interacting with, the Dream that dethroned George, the Dream that only cared about the discs - that wasn’t the real Dream,” Ranboo explained. He waved a hand vaguely in Dream’s direction. Dream took that as an indication to uncloak so he did.

His friend's eyes widened as he appeared.

“Hey guys,” Dream said softly.

“Dream?” George whispered. “How- what- how? How? That wasn’t- that wasn’t you?”

“Dream, are you dead?” Sapnap blurted out, moving to step forward but stopping.

“Not dead, no,” Dream replied. “The other Dream sure wishes I was, but I’m not. But I’m also not, well, real, I suppose.”

“You’re not real?” Sapnap repeated. “What does that mean? Also, why is there another Dream?” Sapnap finally summoned the courage to walk closer, hand outstretched like he wanted to touch him. But Sapnap’s hand phased through his body. Dream could touch others, but they could not touch him.

“I’m sorry, Pandas,” Dream said. “ _Him_ , the other Dream, _he’s_ taken over my body. That body is me, I’m just not controlling it.”

“So, we can’t kill _him_ and get you back?” George asked.

“No.”

Tears welled up in his friend’s eyes and Ranboo respectfully looked away from the scene.

“What do we do, then?” Tears fell down Sapnap’s cheeks as he looked practically miserable. How it must feel to him, knowing that his best friend was still there but out of reach.

“Wait,” said Dream. “You wait. You pretend you don’t know any better. Tommy’s told the same thing to Tubbo. Just play your part. We have a plan.”

“We?” George asked.

“We - Ranboo and I - are working with Techno and Phil and Tommy. Ranboo’s not friendly with L’Manberg anymore and I doubt they’d help me anyway.”

“Stay safe,” Sapnap interrupted. “Please, we’ll do it, we’ll stay quiet, just stay safe. _Please_. Promise me, Dream. Promise me.”

Dream could not promise Sapnap, so he turned to Ranboo, “we should be heading back now, shouldn’t we?”

Ranboo nodded and Dream purposely did not look back to see Sapnap’s face crumble and George start sobbing. At least he had his friends back. That was all he wanted.

**Author's Note:**

> this chapter was very hard to write so i hope its good


End file.
